Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-12-15

WHY Do CHRISTIANS VOTE FOR Ii

49, The results of the cam
NASAN paigns in Michigan and
GVuNIFNT-xas force US to believe
ARZ%H<Atha great many Chris
K tians voted against pro-
hibitiory amendment.
Recently we had an opportunity toask
a man whose Christianity we could
not for a ninment doubt, why he-as
Christian-voted for license. His an
swer, in condensed chape, is as follows:
At do not vote for license. / take the
stand that if there were no taxing, IL
quor selling would be absolutely free,
and the evils resulting therefrom ten
times more appalling than they now
are. / vote to restrain, ard would, III
could, vote to tax the liquor traffic out
of existence. / am willing to CLIMB
the ladder of Prohibition gradually,
but you wild people won't be satisfied
except with bound clear to the top
of the ladder" Now, there is truth
enough in this way of putting the
question to make it dangerous. Half
truths always are dangerous. 1t is
quite true that "Cnmmon Law" does
not say specifically that liquor selling
is an indictable offense. and it is also
true that without license or prohibi-
ton, liquor selling would be oprn to
any one. 1t is apparent, as well, that
complete prohibition could not, at
present. be forced on a city like Chica-
20, for instance. with any hope that it
would be perfectly obeyed law. But
all these points must be met i'm some
way, or the license-voting Christian is
right and we are wrong.
In the first place, then. look at the
free whisky Us. license idea. Common
Law" is term meaning the early
statues and laws of England, so far as
defined, which were taken us founda-
ton by Blackstone for his "Commen-
taries on Law" 1t is hardly to be ex-
pected that "Common Law" then,
would define alcohoi-selling as crime
because alcohol was - two hundrt
years ago-thought to be the very
elixir vitae, and only to be praised.
The arch enemy of mankind must have
grinned with pleasure when he saw
how eagerly the world swallowed the
snaky, worm-made spirit that Shakes
peare called "devi." But Common
Law recognized the rights of society,
and attempted to defend them by the
enactment of such laws as the Deca-
logue embodied. Hence it is fair to
say, since alcohol-making and selling
is now. confessedly, crime against
home and society, that it should be
put under the ban. and should be pro-
hibited. "But," our license-voting
Christian would say, "if license were
done away with. prohibition would not
follow unless the people said it must"
That is true, and here is just the place
to say that Christ's law, which is far
above Common Law, demands that
we enter strait gate, and walk upon
narrow way: If we must choose be-
tween evil and good, we should choose
the good. Does that need arguing?
"But if we have to vote with the min
GRITTY we lose our vote, and the cause is
hindered." Why, then, would 1t not
have been good policy for Martin
Luther to say, "I'li not oppose the
Romish errors openly-not now-not
till more people get their eyes open to
these errors and join me- Would
that have been q commendable course?
Is not the Illustrations fair one? but
the liquor selling will go onif I do vote
against license."- For time, yes; but
suppose man living next tayou should
invent delicious CONNECTIONS favored
with choice wines and United States
protected WHISTLES; suppose your
children should learn to. dearly love
these canfiiIs, and take money they
should not to indulge in the dangerous
article, what would you do? Common
Law says nothing against the sale.
Will it help matters to tax the man
first fifty then one hundred dollars.
with the view of prohibiting him?
Would not q parent strive for some
prohibitory law At once rather than for
a gradual and increasing tax?
Second, granting that complete pro-
hibition in cities would at first be i'm
possible, we would like to see the doors
OF mirrored, pictured, silver-plated sa-
looms closed by the strong arm of the
law, even with the certainty that down
in the cellar and over behind some
foul-smelling beer barrels, beer and
whisky could still be found! We pass
by one hundred saloons daily, going to
our home in the city, and to see these
doors shut would be glad sight. Now
the selling is respectabl it should be
made a law-breaking, cowardly, full
of-fear business, and if this were done,
some good educating would be accomp-
lished by comparatively empty jails
and hospitals, reduced tax bills; in
other words, facts backed by money in
the vaults. Let any one who says this
much is not possible, study the pro-
hibitory record recently made in New
York City for three successive Sun
days. 1t can be accomplished in time,
and in the largest city of our country.
And nothing but the party cowardice
of our American men prevents the
trial being made. Christian men, above
all, should not take q ground ofexped- |
iency in such matters If our arguments
are true. The nation never suffers be- |
cause its men take too high a stand of
right voting, aud certainly history
.,ts,>,,,e ,,o thot Martin Tuther Calvin /